What to Look for in a Proposal Planner

Five questions that separate a real proposal planner from a decorator with an Instagram account.

1. Who actually shows up on the day?

Ask whether the person you are messaging will be on site. In this niche a lot of planning is subcontracted, which is where surprises come from. One point of contact from enquiry to delivery is the single best predictor of a smooth evening.

2. Who holds the location permit?

If nobody can name the venue contact or the permit, the setup is not secured. That is the difference between a booked location and an optimistic one.

3. Is the photographer in-house?

The photographs are the only part of the proposal that survives the night. Outsourced photographers are booked on price and swapped at short notice. Ask to see three full galleries, not a highlight grid.

4. What is the weather policy, in writing?

Wind, sand, and rain all happen. "We will do our best" is not a policy. A reschedule at no extra cost is.

5. What does the price exclude?

Ask for the exclusions list before the inclusions list. Transport, VAT, guest seating, and extra edits are the four that usually move the final number.